Prindle 18 to F16

Mike,

Upwind the difference won't be too bad, though expect the F16 to be more nimble, point significantly higher with the boards, and tack much faster. All in all it is probably an easier boat to sail with the self tacking jib, though in much more than 10 kts of breeze you will start to be over powered with the jib and want to run with just the main.

The biggest change will be downwind, running the spinnaker solo is a good amount of work and you need time and space to douse.

I can tell you that in a breeze that lake is going to be challenging. The F16 can pretty easily average 18 kts downwind in 15 kts of breeze, and at that speed it will take you about 3 minutes to cross the lake.

The other factor to consider are the boards; the F16 draws ~3 ft with with the boards down, so if you have a lot of shallow areas in the lake, I suspect you will find them.

Thank you Sam. I already know some of the places that the rudders on P18 hit and with the dagger boards drawing more, the lake will become a bit smaller. My decision now is, buy some new sails for the P18 (invest in that boat) or go with a lighter more modern boat. Can I expect the sailing to be more fun on the F16 (aside from issues you note)?

Answering in reverse order, yes, most definitely the F16 will be more fun to sail. It has higher performance in all conditions, and it will be especially noticeable in light air.

In terms of movement/price, I'd be very surprised that you can get into a 2012 F16 for anywhere near what a Prindle 18+new Prindle 18 sails would be worth/cost. I do have a solid lead on a 2009 Viper F16 in excellent shape that might be clsoer to your budget (send me a pm).

Something else to factor in are the cost of replacement sails on the F16. Take a look at Glaser for pricing, and you'll see that you are approaching $4k for a complete set. Looking at Whirlwind sails, a new main and jib for the Prindle in Pentex (same material) is $2100.

I'll also throw out that A-Cats are pretty cheap to run if you aren't playing the development game and the older boats like the Flyer I's, Marstroms etc. are fairly reasonably priced. They are great singlehanded boats. I do think the F16 is a more versatile platform for solo sailing plus the occasional wife/kid/grandchild.

I went from a Nacra 500 to an F16 and had been sailing for about a year and a half, my wife (then gf) had about 1 month experience. We took a few licks at the beginning, but never ever regretted the switch. The F16 is a fun boat. We are lighter, 280lbs combined. We were careful about the conditions we went out in, well she would put her foot down at a certain point.

Another factor to consider is if you are trailer sailing or leaving it rigged. The spin boat will add a lot of set up time compared to the P18.

MikeMurray wrote: Can I expect the sailing to be more fun on the F16 (aside from issues you note)?

Think long and hard on that one. The F16 will be a hoot with the kite up, but is it a win on the whole experience? Some of the most fun we ever had was on the Hobie 18. It seemed plenty fast when no modern boats were on the lake. It was indestructible, easy and fast to rig, it was also cheap. We could pile 4-5 people on it and have a blast. It sucks to lose time on the water because rigging the boat is not worthwhile for the time you have on hand.

That lake sounds awfully small for a fast cat of any flavor.

Can I expect the sailing to be more fun on the F16 (aside from issues you note)?

"More fun" depends on your tolerance for more control lines, more rigging time, a little less comfort for crew (due to all the lines everywhere) and your learning curve. Newer boats are more "sensitive" to poor sheeting or weight placement - the older cats are much more forgiving

I agree with all the comments above and would second that if you like your current boat, and don't race or sail with a group of modern boats (that are faster), new sails and maybe some new upgraded lines or blocks would be my suggestion

bacho wrote: [quote=MikeMurray]Can I expect the sailing to be more fun on the F16 (aside from issues you note)?

Think long and hard on that one. The F16 will be a hoot with the kite up, but is it a win on the whole experience? Some of the most fun we ever had was on the Hobie 18. It seemed plenty fast when no modern boats were on the lake. It was indestructible, easy and fast to rig, it was also cheap. We could pile 4-5 people on it and have a blast. It sucks to lose time on the water because rigging the boat is not worthwhile for the time you have on hand.

That lake sounds awfully small for a fast cat of any flavor.

+1. I never recommend spinnaker boats to recreational sailors that don't have mast up storage.

We bought new sq top sails for our fleet of P-18's two years ago and while little difference in performance (same sail area), a ton easier to go up & down the mast making rigging a pleasure. Pete

Prindle 18 is a great boat, I always ask people to think twice before trading up

Edited by jalex on Feb 28, 2018 - 08:49 PM.

pbegle wrote: We bought new sq top sails for our fleet of P-18's two years ago and while little difference in performance (same sail area), a ton easier to go up & down the mast making rigging a pleasure. Pete

And yet according to Portsmouth, we have to take a hit due to thier not being class legal sail.... 😡

jalex wrote: Prindle 18 is a great boat, I always ask people to think twice before trading upEdited by jalex on Feb 28, 2018 - 08:49 PM.

Ditto.... I have owned some real rocket ships in the past (NACRA 5.8, NACRA F18, Inter 20) but I came back to the P18... Has the best fun factor per dollar spent.

Thanks everyone. Your advise is very helpful and appreciated. I think I will pass on the F16 and invest some money in my P18: new sails, new cover and some beach wheels (and a few other bits and pieces.

Thanks again! Mike